ComicBookMama
Sub-Adult Member
Figment went for his wellness visit today. It was my first meeting with a new vet, whose name I got off the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians website... and my feelings are a bit mixed.
The vet asked for a fecal sample and photos of Figment's hab, and did give him a good once-over, checking his mouth, vent, and skin condition and doing the basic weighing (340grams). She asked me where and when I got Figment, about his diet and what supplements I'm using, and about the setup of his habitat. I asked her if he seemed underweight (she said no) and about hydration (she recommended soaking him once or twice a week for about 15-20 minutes at a shot).
Overall, I liked her and appreciated that she feels Figment is in good condition, and that she came prepared with care sheets for me and suggested websites to reference (she suggested looking at http://www.anapsid.org for their recipe for salads). She told me that she'd like to see him eating more greens and fewer insects as he approaches the one year mark (he's approximately 7 months old, as best I can tell). When I asked about the fecal test, she did warn me that most beardies have some parasites, but that pet store dragons often come with coccsidea (sp?) and a gutload of worms.
But a couple of things set my warning bells jingling... first, when she told me to soak Figment, I decided to test her by asking if he would drink from the bath. She said no, but that he'd absorb water through his skin and his vent. Secondly, the recipe at anapsid.org is meant for iguanas... maybe it would be okay for beardies, too, but my gut tells me that they're two very different animals from two wildly different environments, and would therefore have very different nutritional needs.
Results on the fecal won't be ready until Monday or Tuesday... I'll see what comes of that. The visit itself was as expensive as a dog or cat wellness visit - about $200. (I live in a pricey area.) Based on what they say about the fecal, and if they're going to charge me for a return visit to dose him (if he does have parasites), I'll make my final decision.
What would you folks suggest, going forward? My gut tells me that this vet may not have a lot of experience with beardies; that doesn't necessarily make her a bad choice, but it does make me leery of her potential diagnoses. But there's only one other vet in a reasonable driving distance who sees beardies, and I haven't heard great things about him, either... hence my driving a longer distance to see this vet today.
I could really use some opinions here.
The vet asked for a fecal sample and photos of Figment's hab, and did give him a good once-over, checking his mouth, vent, and skin condition and doing the basic weighing (340grams). She asked me where and when I got Figment, about his diet and what supplements I'm using, and about the setup of his habitat. I asked her if he seemed underweight (she said no) and about hydration (she recommended soaking him once or twice a week for about 15-20 minutes at a shot).
Overall, I liked her and appreciated that she feels Figment is in good condition, and that she came prepared with care sheets for me and suggested websites to reference (she suggested looking at http://www.anapsid.org for their recipe for salads). She told me that she'd like to see him eating more greens and fewer insects as he approaches the one year mark (he's approximately 7 months old, as best I can tell). When I asked about the fecal test, she did warn me that most beardies have some parasites, but that pet store dragons often come with coccsidea (sp?) and a gutload of worms.
But a couple of things set my warning bells jingling... first, when she told me to soak Figment, I decided to test her by asking if he would drink from the bath. She said no, but that he'd absorb water through his skin and his vent. Secondly, the recipe at anapsid.org is meant for iguanas... maybe it would be okay for beardies, too, but my gut tells me that they're two very different animals from two wildly different environments, and would therefore have very different nutritional needs.
Results on the fecal won't be ready until Monday or Tuesday... I'll see what comes of that. The visit itself was as expensive as a dog or cat wellness visit - about $200. (I live in a pricey area.) Based on what they say about the fecal, and if they're going to charge me for a return visit to dose him (if he does have parasites), I'll make my final decision.
What would you folks suggest, going forward? My gut tells me that this vet may not have a lot of experience with beardies; that doesn't necessarily make her a bad choice, but it does make me leery of her potential diagnoses. But there's only one other vet in a reasonable driving distance who sees beardies, and I haven't heard great things about him, either... hence my driving a longer distance to see this vet today.
I could really use some opinions here.